Best Product For Lake On Layout ?

Get Dennis Brennan's book and use the same glass he did.   Perhaps someone will chime in here as to what type of glass he used.   If not, I'll look it up over the weekend when I return home and post.

--Greg

Dennis used rippled shower door glass. This is an excellent choice for large expanses of water, such as the harbor shown in his book.   IMO, for lakes and other small bodies of water, a better choice is flat window glass with waves painted on the top surface using glossy Mod Podge. The effect is similar, and you can paint the waves in more nuanced patterns, such as shore waves paralleling the edges of the lake and disturbed by boulders.  The rest of the process (spray-painting the bottom surface of the glass) is the same.

I like envirotex  50/50 mix, if you want submerged effects.It climbs up the edges and makes the bank look wet.

 spray paint the area with American Classics "Orageno" and border with a lighter brown. If you want ripples around a boat or bobber etc...   use a toothpic 7-8 hrs after pouring....

Patrick...each time I see the picture you have posted above, it makes me want to be there!!  Such a beautiful and peaceful scene....absolutely stunning!

The pictures below show shower door glass that I used in several different water scenes on my layout...

Alan

For "super simple" I used the "HO" pond kit from the Scenic Express catalog. Some greenery or stones around the edge and you can plop it right down on your layout. Kidney-shaped pond is about 5"x7".

ROZY

I'm not going to use this but just wanted to show you the low end of a pond I was playing with, Nothing but a piece of ice plexiglass painted multiple colors on the back side and put down under a cut out.

IMO the larger the pond the more unacceptable this is.

Leavingtracks; your waterways look amazing.

I've never done any large water areas, but for smaller areas I, like Patrick, prefer Envirotex.  Easy to use and provides a nice effect.  To avoid a flat look, I just keep picking at it with a large nail or similar object while it is still curing.  Available at most any arts & crafts store as well as some hobby shops.

Leavingtracks those are some great scenes,very nice effect. Where did you get all the shower glass ? 

         ROZY205

I've never made a large expanse of water, but I have used EnviroTex many times over the years in HO modeling and WWII tank dioramas.

I really love the effects you can do with it, including sinking things in it .... half submerged objects, etc.

Good luck.

Spence and ROZY 205...thank you very much!

ROZY...I got the glass from a local glass company.  I needed quite a bit so they ordered a large piece ( 4 feet by 7 feet ) and then cut it to my specifications.  Keep in mind if you are going to need it cut, then don't purchase tempered. 

Alan

To the members who have used Evirotex , I read that some experience a yellow look when dry. Has anybody had this happen to them ?.

Patrick--that water looks amazing!

-Greg

Do I understand it right that all the  mentioned products being used excluding the shower glass come clear ?. I would like to achieve a blue color, would I have to add a color to the product & if yes what ?.

          ROZY205

Ive been looking around for prices on aquatex glass... or something similar... non-tempered. The price for a piece 38" by 82" is looking to be around $170.... Thats pretty expensive. Should I be calling around for something different or is this the prices you are all getting?

Try visiting your local architectural recycling store. I bet you won't have much trouble finding a used shower door for almost nothing.

I used a piece of plastic 2x4 light defuser from drop ceiling called crushed ice it has a wind swept water appearance i painted the smooth bottom surface with a olive drab spray the color can be seen through the clear surface and looks rather nice or so many folks have told me.  When they find out its a light defuser....well you get the idea....nice results with little invested.....conrail john